Exploiting anger

Massacres in Syria or chaos in Libya are sometimes cited to downplay Palestine’s geopolitical importance. But this conflict matters in an area that has never been so divided. It remains the sole unifying cause for every political and ideological shade of opinion in the Arab world: Islamist, communist, nationalist, liberal. To every inhabitant of the region, and throughout the Muslim world, it represents a basic injustice, a denial of international law, the result of western politics and its support for Israel.

The situation in Palestine has been feeding such frustrations and regional instability for 70 years. It provoked the collapse of pro-western regimes after the 1948-9 war and encouraged war between Israel and Arabs in 1956, 1967 and 1982. It strengthens transnational groups such as Al-Qaida and ISIS, which now have a presence in some Palestinian camps.

In March 2010, General David Petraeus, then head of USCENTCOM, the US military zone comprising the whole of the Middle East, told the US Senate armed services commission: ‘The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbours present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of US favouritism for Israel.

‘Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of US partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, Al-Qaida and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilise support.’ It would be hard to put it better.